comparison of serum hepatitis b virus dna and hbsag levels between hbeag-negative and hbeag-positive chronic hepatitis b patients

Background: chronic hepatitis b consists of different clinical phases. laboratory and histological assessments can help differentiate the clinical phases of this disease and thus lead to better management. objectives: this study was conducted to determine laboratory and histological characteristics of hbeag-negative and hbeag-positive chronic hepatitis b patients. patients and methods: in this study, we evaluated 151 treatment naive chronic hepatitis b patients and grouped them according to their hbeag status. serum hepatitis b virus (hbv) dna and hbsag levels were measured, and liver function tests, and liver biopsy were performed for the study population. results: there was a significant difference in age, and hbv dna and hbsag levels between hbeag-negative and hbeag-positive groups yet there was no statistically significant difference in sex, liver function tests, grading and staging of liver biopsy between the groups. hepatitis b virus dna and hbsag levels were correlated in both hbeag-negative and hbeag-positive chronic hepatitis b patients. conclusions: we concluded that chronic hepatitis b patients had different hbv dna and hbsag levels according to their hbeag status.